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Finding Your Work (at home)

© Bonny Albo

The hardest thing to manage when working at home (after making the decision to actually work at home!) is finding the work that you want to do.

Here are the beginning steps that I took on my journey:

(1) To get a better idea as to what it is that you're looking for, check out Mark Schwartz's Self Employment and Small Business Resources. It is, by far, the best site that I have found for business start up information. Although geared towards Canadians, there is pertinent information here for people from all over the world who wish to start their own business. Numerous quizzes, tests and questionnaires enable you to narrow down your focus. You'll need at least a couple of hours to weed through this site, just because of it's sheer volume of information that, I'm sure, will interest you. And after you've narrowed your focus, don't forget to bookmark it as you'll need to come back after you've chosen your work (at home).

(2) Sit down with your family and work out some guidelines. Where will you work in the home? Will you be accessible? What will be your "hours of operation?" Are there any work-related items that will be off-limits? How will the division of labor be arranged? Who will take care of the kids when you are working? (Even though most of us choose to work at home to be WITH our kids, don't kid yourself into thinking that you can work around your child's schedule. Unless they are in school full-time, it is extremely difficult. Believe me, I've tried it!) You need to arrange with your spouse/partner/significant other for "time off". Just because you spend time at home does not mean it's relaxing! You will both need time that is "just for you" depending on your own personal interests and lifestyle, even if it's only 15 minutes a day in the bathroom while you're having a shower!

(3) Make a weekly "date" with your spouse/partner/significant other, and keep it. Get a babysitter, beg a friend, let the grandparents/aunt/uncle/cousins, etc. have some quality time with your young ones - whatever it takes - but DO it! My husband and I found that this step is absolutely essential to our relationship; we were always working, cleaning, diapering, marketing, etc, and never quite found the time for each other..... it really made a dramatic difference for us.

Next week: Finding your Work at home II: Where to look for work that fits.